The Best Practices Show with Kirk Behrendt

Wisdom from the Greatest Gift Idea

Episode #460 with Dr. Kevin Groth

Dentistry can put you in a dark place. Some days, you will ache from your feet to your soul. But you have the power to change that! And to share some motivation and inspiration, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Kevin Groth, an amazing Adjunct Faculty Member at ACT, with resources that helped him find the balance for a better practice and better life. To learn how he continues to find happiness in life, listen to Episode 460 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

Find your core values and essentials of your life.

Surround yourself with the people you love.

Keep your mind and your body sharp.

Balance time, money, and health.

Don't be limited by your thinking.

Embrace the struggle.

Stay humble.

Quotes:

“It’s all about your perspective on things. Your positive outlook creates positive results.” (5:40—5:45)

“It's important, for anybody listening, to find fulfillment in their life.” (6:47—6:50)

“Everyone strives for happiness right now. And it seems like it’s a constant theme of, ‘I'm not happy with my job. I'm not happy with my life. I'm not happy with my marriage. I'm not happy with my kids,’ whatever it is. Well, you can control that. Dictate it. And ultimately, what it comes down to is, if you can identify, ‘These are the things that make me happy,’ then do it.” (7:13—7:30)

“A person is limited only to the thoughts he or she chooses.” (12:05—12:09)

“I think dentistry can spin you to [negativity] so quickly. You have a bad patient experience, bad patient, things didn't go that well in the operative realm of things, or whatever it may be, and you start being like, ‘I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm done. I don't want to do this anymore,’ and you start getting negative. But then, those negative thoughts turn into negative outcomes. And negative experiences shape everything about your environment. And to me, I'm just like, ‘I'm done. I am done with negative thinking.’ As a Man Thinketh [says] the power of your thoughts shapes you. And I said, ‘No more of these negative thoughts. Positive thinking only.’ And I've had the best couple weeks now.” (12:23—12:59)

“I control the things around me. Enough of the external life scenarios dictating what I am and who I am. It’s all about what I do based on my thoughts. And those thoughts drive the results that come out of the chair, come out of my life, come out of my experiences with people, my relationship with others. I come home happier because I am the one that's in control of my life. You push positive thoughts, and you're going to have positive results.” (13:01—13:27)

“You don't want to die with a bunch of money in the bank, because you then become something that, ‘I worked for this much time. And this much energy I put into this, and it didn't relate to anything at the end of it all because I wasted five, 10, 20 years of my life, because it just sat in a bank account when I'm in a coffin in the ground.’” (15:22—15:41)

“There are three things in life. You have time, money, and health. And in each segment of life, you have a deficiency. So, when you're in your 20s or so, you have your health and you have time, but you have no money. And then, in your middle life, you have your health, hopefully, you have your money, hopefully, but you don't have time because we’re running around like crazy, taking care of family. But then, when we retire, you have your time, you have money, but you don't have health, necessarily. So, ultimately, the whole secret of life is trying to navigate the deficiency.” (17:15—17:51)

“In our phase of life, time is our most valuable possession we can have. So, why am I wasting time at work doing things that aren't allowing me to fulfill my time with my family? Cut the hours, cut the days.” (18:03—18:16)

“The other thing is that we’ve got to take care of ourselves. Because if you take care of yourselves at an early age, it’s going to delay the health component later on in life. [Die with Zero] talks about how for every pound overweight, you put four pounds on your knees. And we all have different patients that have had knee surgery, after knee surgery, after knee surgery because they’ve gone X number of years with that much extra poundage that's literally destroying your knees to a point you need a replacement. So, that's my motivation now, is to get healthy so I don't have to have that, so it delays my health component later on in life.” (19:31—20:02)

“[Die with Zero] talks about looking at your life in five-year increments, and then write down the things, like a bucket list of things, that you would want to do in your life and what you would want to experience. And then, start throwing the experiences into the five-year buckets.” (22:42—22:55)

“There are five principles in this EOS Life book. And they are: do what you love, with the people that you love, making a huge difference, being appropriately compensated, with time for other passions. And those are the five pillars of what we all should abide by.” (26:11—26:28)

“Why do we surround ourselves with people that we don't enjoy? It’s amazing to me. And my father is living proof of this, because he would come home and complain about his employees every freaking day. And then, when I took over the office from him, I started complaining about the employees every day. And it was just like, ‘Something has got to change.’” (29:44—30:01)

“You are literally the average of the people you surround yourself with. So, surround yourself with people that you want to become.”  (31:35—31:41)

“Longer hours are never the answer. Longer hours are the worst thing you could do.” (39:57—40:02)

“Have the time for other passions. We work hard. But we should not be working to the bone. Because if you work to the bone, now you don't have the energy to do the things that you love to do.” (40:55—41:05)

“Say no and say it often. I've learned that so much because I used to be a yes to every single thing. And now, I say no to everything. Unless it’s a hell yes, it’s a hell no.” (44:51—45:04)

“Be humble. Because as soon as you get a little ahead of yourself, the world is going to come back at you with a whole different vengeance.” (45:51—45:59)

“The Four Agreements, it’s a great, easy read. I really like that book a lot. 1) Be impeccable with your work. It speaks to your integrity. 2) Don't take anything personally. Life kind of happens. 3) Don't make assumptions. 4) And ultimately, always do your best.” (46:31—46:47)

“We’re always expecting our best of ourselves all the time. But it’s impossible. I mean, LeBron James doesn't shoot career highs every single game. Right? But he’s okay with missing some things. And that's the same expectation we should have in our lives. We really shouldn't go through every single experience thinking that we should be our best all the time. As soon as you feel like you gave your best, I feel good about that. And that's really what it comes down to, is just accepting that.” (47:43—48:13)

“[Live] by these five pillars. And these five pillars would be: good nutrition, fitness and exercise on a daily basis, appropriate sleep, living with a purpose, and socialization. Those five things are so valuable to us on a daily basis. And if you have those five things, you will be healthy mentally, and you will be healthy physically, and you will be healthy emotionally.” (50:21—50:52)

"You can't be everything to everyone. But you can be impactful to those things that you select that are important.” (53:19—53:25)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

6:28 Find fulfillment in life.  

8:15 The greatest gift Dr. Groth ever received.

10:06 The book that helps you open your thinking.

13:31 The book that helps you balance time, money, and health.

24:02 The book that helps you with systems and core values.

46:13 The book that helps you think better.

49:02 The book that helps you keep sharp.

52:11 The book that helps you be a visionary.

54:01 Last thoughts.

Reach Out to Dr. Groth:

Dr. Groth’s email: [email protected] 

Dr. Groth’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grothdental

Dr. Groth’s social media: @drkevingroth

Resources:

As a Man Thinketh by James Allen: https://bookshop.org/books/as-a-man-thinketh-9781585426386/9781585426386

Die with Zero by Bill Perkins: https://bookshop.org/books/die-with-zero-getting-all-you-can-from-your-money-and-your-life-9780358567097/9780358567097

The EOS Life by Gino Wickman: https://benbellabooks.com/shop/theeoslife/

The Diary of a CEO podcast: https://stevenbartlett.com/the-diary-of-a-ceo-podcast/

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: https://bookshop.org/books/the-four-agreements-a-practical-guide-to-personal-freedom/9781878424310

Keep Sharp by Sanjay Gupta: https://bookshop.org/books/keep-sharp-build-a-better-brain-at-any-age/9781501166747

The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger: https://bookshop.org/books/the-ride-of-a-lifetime-lessons-learned-from-15-years-as-ceo-of-the-walt-disney-company/9780399592096

Dr. Kevin Groth Bio:

Dr. Kevin Groth’s primary goal is for every person to walk out of his office knowing that they received the highest-quality, most personalized care possible. Dentistry is more than just a profession for Dr. Groth. He sees every patient as an extension of his own family, and when you are in his chair, you’ll always be treated well.

Dr. Groth’s favorite part of being a dentist is that every day and every patient is different. He loves the variety of people he gets to meet and procedures he performs to help patients maintain their smiles.

Since graduating from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Dr. Groth has been recognized locally by Hour Detroit Magazine as a Top Dentist, and nationally as a Top Doc. As a passionate dentist who wants to provide the best care for his patients, Dr. Groth pursues continuing education through The Dawson Academy, serves on the executive board of the Periodontal Bunting Society, and is the Assistant Clinical Director of the Society of Comprehensive Dentists. He has also served as an adjunct clinical faculty member at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. 

Whose Mindset Needs to Change First?

Episode #459 with Dr. Gary DeWood

You spend time trying to change your patients’ minds. But it’s not their mindset that needs to change first — it’s yours! And to help you in that process, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Gary DeWood, Executive Vice President of Spear Education, with some tools to change your thinking. When your mind is open, your possibilities are open! To learn how to think differently so you can help your patients think differently, listen to Episode 459 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

Your thoughts can shape the world.

Everyone reserves the right to change their minds.

Change your mindset first to change your patients’ minds.

To get people to think differently, talk about things differently.

Use verbal skills to make a value statement about your practice.

Quotes:

“I have never thought of myself as being that smart. And I realize that to a lot of people — people tell me, ‘You're smarter than you think.’ And I say, ‘Well, that's a good thing. I hope I spend the rest of my life feeling that way.’ Because as soon as I think the other way, I promise you I'm not going to be willing to listen to things. And everything I got, I got from somebody.” (4:04—4:26)

“You want to be a better dentist? Go and be a patient. Sit down and be a patient. And tell the dentist you go to, ‘I'm here because I trust you, and I want to be a patient. And that's how I want the interaction to be.’ It will change everything you do if you do that.” (8:49—9:05)

“If you want to change how people think about something, one of the easiest ways to begin that process is to talk about it differently.” (12:41—12:47)

“Here’s the difference between a significant and insignificant problem. No human being will ever claim a problem is significant unless they're looking for a solution. They won't. I promise you that.” (15:46—15:56)

“One of [Dr. Dawson’s] most profound statements ever, for those of you who have never heard it, ‘If you quote me, date me.’ What did he just say? I reserve the right to change my mind about anything I tell you that I believe today, because I am open to hearing what everybody else is experiencing.” (27:23—27:36)

“Someone who has a significant dental issue that they claim is always open to the possibility that there might be things they don't know about yet because they have something going on already. There may be things they're not aware of. I don't have to climb the hill to go over to the other side like I do with people who believe they're healthy.” (28:55—29:13)

“I also found there was no correlation to the amount of time since the patient has been to see a dentist and what they believe about themselves — zero. There was none. I couldn't correlate that at all. People who hadn't been to a dentist for 25 years often still thought they were healthy. In fact, the same percentage, I found it was probably like 95% of patients, called our office and believed they were healthy.” (29:46—30:08)

“Your thoughts shape your world.” (32:40—32:42)

“My favorite line out of [As a Man Thinketh] is that you will rise to the heights of your highest aspiration, and you will sink to the lows of your basest thought. You create what happens by what you believe.” (32:43—32:58)

“If you want to change the minds of the people who come to your practice about dental benefit plans, which is one I hear all the time, whose minds have to change first? It ain't them. It’s us.” (33:44—33:55)

“Here’s the important thing to remember. Was your decision to be in the PPO a clinical excellence decision or a business decision? It’s never a clinical excellence decision.” (34:08—34:21)

“You want to change your patients’ mindsets around dental hygiene? Please stop saying the word, “cleaning”, will you? Please stop saying that. It’s a totally demeaning word. In fact, this was the schtick that we came up with over the years. Whenever anybody would say, ‘I need to get my teeth cleaned,’ everybody in the office had this knee-jerk response, ‘Well, cleaning is what you do every day at home.’” (48:23—48:44)

“Whenever somebody says, ‘What should I do?’ you need to escape that noose, because they just put a noose around your neck. They just made you totally responsible for anything that you recommend. I don't want to be responsible for what I recommend, other than in making it happen. I don't want to be responsible for whether or not they do it, which is what they did if they say, ‘What should I do?’ They just gave me all the power. I hate that power. I don't want that power.” (54:15—54:36)

“I'm never going to say what you should do. I refuse to be responsible for what you should do . . . I would love to talk about what you could do.” (57:40—57:49)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

2:08 Dr. DeWood’s background.

11:22 Why mindset is an important topic.

16:00 The right time is when a person is ready.

17:32 Two people who changed Dr. DeWood’s life.

28:47 The difference between the two types of patients.

31:57 Books to condition your thinking.

33:57 How to think about and talk about benefit plans.

46:57 Use your verbal skills to change your patients’ mindsets.

49:37 Last thoughts and facially generated treatment plans.

Reach Out to Dr. DeWood:

Dr. DeWood’s email: [email protected] 

Dr. DeWood’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdewood

Dr. DeWood’s social media: @garydewood

Resources:

Spear Education website: https://www.speareducation.com/

Dr. DeWood’s course, Facially Generated Treatment Planning, at Spear Education: https://campus.speareducation.com/workshops/facially-generated-treatment-planning/details/syllabus/

The Possibility Principle by Mel Schwartz: https://bookshop.org/books/the-possibility-principle-how-quantum-physics-can-improve-the-way-you-think-live-and-love-9781622038633/9781622038633

The Kybalion: https://bookshop.org/books/the-kybalion-centenary-edition/9780143131687

As a Man Thinketh by James Allen: https://bookshop.org/books/as-a-man-thinketh-9780929896007/9780929896007

Dr. Gary DeWood Bio:

Dr. Gary DeWood is the Executive Vice President of Spear Education. As one of the founding members of Spear, he directed Curriculum and Clinical Education for nearly a decade prior to joining in the launch of Spear Practice Solutions. Today, he splits time between teaching and consulting.

Dr. DeWood serves as an instructor in multiple Spear Workshops, including Facially Generated Treatment Planning, Occlusion in Clinical Practice, Advanced Occlusion, Sleep Medicine in the Dental Practice, and a special focus workshop on temporomandibular disorder. He also maintains a limited private practice on the Spear Campus in Scottsdale, Arizona, and lectures nationally and internationally on practice management, treatment planning, case management, case acceptance, TMD diagnosis, appliance therapy, occlusion, and esthetics.

Prior to his contributions at Spear, Dr. DeWood maintained a private restorative general practice with his wife and fellow Spear Resident Faculty member, Dr. Cheryl DeWood, in Pemberville, Ohio, before dedicating most of his time to teaching full-time. With 40 years in general dentistry, he provides a unique perspective to the application of the dental principles taught at Spear. He has spent years focused on diagnosing and treating functional occlusal problems and TMD, and as part of that focus completed the craniofacial pain mini residency at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in the early 1990s.

Dr. DeWood served as clinical director at The Pankey Institute from 2003 to 2008. He has held appointments as associate professor at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and assistant professor at the University of Toledo College of Medicine. He earned his D.D.S. from Case Western Reserve University in 1980, and an M.S. degree in biomedical sciences from the University of Toledo College of Medicine in 2004. 

Navigating Your Preferred Future in Dentistry

Episode #458 with Dr. Mark Hyman

If you ever feel stuck as a dentist, remember this: you get to make choices in who you serve, what procedures you do, where you practice, when you do them, and how you want to do it. You get to choose your preferred path! And for reassurance, Kirk Behrendt brings back one of ACT’s favorite people, Dr. Mark Hyman, to share his experience and valuable advice to help you become successful. There is no linear path to success, and you get to be the one to pave it! To hear more from the master, listen to Episode 458 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

Get rid of your limiting beliefs.

Figure out what you love, then do it.

Success won't be linear or exponential.

If something doesn't work out, try something else.

Remember that you get to decide your future in dentistry.

Join study clubs and hire a coach. You can't afford not to.

Quotes:

“I’m a firm believer that with you, yourself, with your team, with your practice, with your patients, there are no hostages. No one has to be in your practice. No one has to work there. You don't have to work there. So, what is your vision for your preferred future? Who do you want to treat? What procedures do you want to do? How do you want to do them? When do you want to do them? That is the beauty of dentistry. We get to sculpt exactly what we want.” (7:43—8:07)

“Dale Carnegie says three magic words: success leaves clues. What do the highly successful men and women in dentistry do? They get great consultants, they go to tons of continuing education, they buy the best equipment, and they use it on everybody with no fear of failure.” (10:14—10:30)

“[Dentistry] is an investment, like anything that's worth paying for.” (11:44—11:48)

“What do you love? A student says, ‘Root canals are profitable. The overhead is only 37% in an endodontic practice.’ I'm like, ‘Do you love root canals?’ ‘No.’ ‘Well, then don't do them. You don't have to.’ What do you love doing? What do you get fired up about doing?” (15:52—16:06)

“What I would tell my students is to consider a residency. Try different things. If you go do a program and it isn't the right fit for you, then go do something else. You're a young man. You're a young woman. You've got your whole life in front of you. Don't think that you're stuck doing something that you don't enjoy.” (16:46—17:02)

“That is part of the beauty of dentistry, is you get to choose where you want to live, who you want to serve. Part of that preferred future is to make the decision, ‘I am not going to be a pawn of the insurance company. I'm going to be a doctor caring for my patients, not a provider of a commodity.” (18:44—19:02)

“Your success isn't necessarily linear or exponential. Sometimes, it is a sine wave up and down. And if it’s on a trend down, it will come back up.” (22:32—22:41)

“You've got to take a step back sometimes and say, ‘What do I really want to do? Why did I go into this profession?’ There are still so many opportunities. And again, that 32-year-old that's probably going to practice another 30 years, if they took two or three years off to do more training, yes, it would be a hit to them and their family, short term. But long term, they’ll be happier.” (23:26—23:46)

“One of my mentors in dentistry said, ‘If you go to a six-hour seminar and you only get one good idea out of it, it’s worth the entire day.’ And if you go with that perspective, I could hear one thing that's going to change my life, that's pretty amazing.” (26:14—26:31)

“I remember going to Pankey the first time. And one of the most amazing things that I've ever heard was the quote, ‘People will buy what they value. They’ll buy what they want, not necessarily what they need.’ It’s the words of Harold Wirth . . . So, you've got to find out what they want.” (26:31—26:54)

“I remember Frank Spear say, ‘You only treat what you see. You only see what you know.’ It’s like, whoa. So, I've got to look at things in a different fashion. I've got to slow down and ask the patients, ‘Why are you here? What do you value? What are your goals for your health, teeth, and smile? Is it important that you keep your teeth the rest of your life?’ I'm not a mind reader.” (26:54—27:18)

“Doctors, there is no perfection. You're going to have tough days too, so give yourself a little grace.” (31:09—31:14)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

2:45 Dr. Hyman’s background.

4:30 Dr. Hyman’s Breakfast Club.

7:29 Navigating your preferred future.

10:58 Dentistry is an amazing profession.

13:31 Questions from dental students.

15:21 Find out what you love doing.

17:45 Figure out who you want to serve.

19:19 Now is a great time to be a dentist.

22:04 Success is not linear.

23:47 Be committed to constant improvement.

27:19 Take care of your loyal patients.

29:15 Progress, not perfection.

32:21 Last thoughts.

Reach Out to Dr. Hyman:

Dr. Hyman’s website: https://drmarkspeaks.com/  

Dr. Hyman’s email: [email protected] 

Dr. Hyman’s social media: @drmarkspeaks

Resources:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey: https://bookshop.org/books/the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people-30th-anniversary-edition-anniversary/9781982137137

Dentsply Sirona World September 15-17 in Las Vegas: https://www.dentsplysirona.com/en-us/lp/ds-world.html

ADA SmileCon October 13-15 in Houston: https://www.ada.org/education/smilecon#:~:text=SmileCon%202022%20will%20be%20held,page%20to%20view%20pass%20options

Dr. Mark Hyman Bio:

Dr. Mark E. Hyman is a renowned, full-time practicing dentist in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is a public speaker whose work is characterized by his warmth, enthusiasm, sense of humor, and passion for dentistry.

As an accomplished seminar speaker, Dr. Hyman has lectured throughout North America and internationally, receiving rave reviews. For the past 14 years, Dentistry Today magazine has selected Dr. Hyman as one of the top 100 speakers in dentistry. He is an Adjunct Full Professor at the UNC School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and has taught at The Pankey Institute in Florida and at Spear Education in Arizona. 

Cracking the Millennial Code

Episode #457 with Ryan Vet

Now, more than ever, we coexist with multiple generations in the workplace. And to help you navigate the challenges that can bring, Kirk Behrendt brings in Ryan Vet, owner of Speaking Consulting Network and author of Cracking the Millennial Code, to share advice that will help you better understand the people you work with. Cancel generational stereotypes, not one another! To create a balanced, collaborative environment, listen to Episode 457 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

Understand what shapes someone’s identity and personality.

Learn how to listen to people different from yourself.

Don't make generalizations about others.

We are more similar than we think.

Give people grace.

Quotes:

“The first thing that is most important, and people don't often start here, is what are your priorities? Priorities are different than your goals. Your goals are, ‘I want to have this much in the bank account,’ or, ‘I want to be on the cover of this magazine or be interviewed on this news station.’ And all those goals are great. But priorities are really, what are those things that no matter what you're doing in life, whether you're being the best toilet scrubber you can be — which, I have owned cleaning companies and I have scrubbed plenty of toilets in my day — or you're running a multinational company, what are those things that never change?” (4:30—4:57)

“If you get your priorities straight, you can do just about anything you want.” (5:07—5:10)

“Even in my own career when I've seen things not go the way I had hoped, or encountered failures, often, it’s because those priorities are not in the right order, and you start to get off-kilter.” (5:10—5:20)

“[The second piece of advice] would be, surround yourself with people. I always have three people in my life. The first is my co-runner, someone I'm running alongside of, someone that's in the same stage of life, going through the same things. The second person I always have is the forerunner, the person who’s run ahead of me, who has been there, to mentor. And then, the third person I have is someone that's a couple steps behind me, because I often find that as I'm trying to coach or mentor someone else that's coming up and is a little bit younger or trying to get into a new career path, I learn more from trying to coach them than anything else that I do.” (5:23—5:58)

“The title [of my book] has “millennial” in it. It’s really not about millennials that much at all. In fact, if you look at page count, maybe only 20% to 30% of it is about millennials. The rest of it is this intergenerational connection, how they interact, and how one generation influences the next generation. And the reality is, whether you're in a corporate office, a dental office, at home, or your neighborhood, you're having some of these interactions with people from different generations, or that were raised by parents of a different generation, which is something I talk a little bit about in the book as well. You could be a millennial born to boomer parents or Gen Xer parents, and you're going to be a different millennial than your fellow coworker or classmate.” (8:57—9:40)

“We all have blind spots. And so, as I was doing research, of course, I knew all the stigmas that millennials are known for. In fact, the back cover basically has a list of the things that millennials often get dinged on as far as their flaws. But what I quickly found was, we are the way we are because of our parents. And our parents are the way they are because of their parents and the way they were raised.” (10:18—10:42)

“When it comes to hiring, understanding some of [the generational differences] and how they're looking at it is important.” (11:38—11:43)

“Millennials actually want to be mentored, which is one of the biggest things that people, especially boomers — not calling boomers out, but boomers generally don't feel that millennials have any respect for authority. That comes partly from how boomers were raised, believe it or not, and how they view the authority relationship with mentors. But it also has to do with the fact that a millennial is never going to ask. And that's something that is very different. But almost always — and generalizing here — a boomer comes up to a millennial and says, ‘Hey, I want to mentor you and put you on this path,’ a millennial is going to not only say yes but welcome that with open arms and be more loyal to your company.” (11:44—12:24)

“When a boomer is talking to a millennial, first of all, you have to remember the millennial is still younger than you are and not experienced. And professionalism is very different to the millennial. So, that perceived respect that you would've expected in corporate America in the ‘70s and ‘80s when that boomer was in their early to mid-career is not the same way that the millennial is going to be treating you, from the way they speak to you or the way they interact with you. You're going to get casual texts, short emails. It doesn't make it right, but that's what you can expect. And so, you're going to get some of those things, and you do have to be gracious. Instead of worrying about changing the millennial, you have to come in the middle and help bring them to where they should be.” (15:14—16:01)

“First, figure out what shaped your identity and shaped your personality, and your generation’s. And I say this multiple times in the book, and I'll say it here, they're generalizations. Your own influences and experiences, even the region of the country in which you were raised, all of that has an impact on who you are and how you interact with other people. But I would say first understand what has shaped you and what your expectations are.” (18:16—18:40)

“Respect is so important for baby boomers. And we’ve been talking about boomers a lot. It’s not always the boomer-millennial conflict, although it’s talked about more than many. But respect is this really important thing. It’s really important for millennials too, but it just looks different. And so, being able to understand and even articulate what it is that you find most important or valuable enables you to be able to really bridge the gap between all generations.” (18:42—19:05)

“There does need to be that bringing along, that growth, that professionalism that comes with these younger generations. But help get them there, not just automatically tune them out, or in modern terms, “cancel culture” them if something doesn't go the way you think it should be going, because the world is changing. It doesn't mean that all change is good, but you have to figure out that happy medium between infusing what's been good and what's been working for years and should be continued on, and what things are changing because there's a new or different way to do it based on technology, culture, or any other number of factors.” (19:08—19:40)

“Millennials are actually extremely loyal. If you look at millennials and causes and some of these things that they attach themselves to — I'll use something hopefully fairly neutral, a puppy rescue. Let's say a millennial gets hooked on helping with this puppy rescue. He’ll do that for a long time, if not for life. So, it’s not that they're not loyal. It’s that they want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. The world is small. The idea of country, of state, or even city to a millennial — the pride isn't there that we've seen in previous generations because they have access to the whole world. So, they like these movements that are influencing the whole world.” (20:10—20:47)

“What I coach a lot for a dental practice is, when you're hiring someone, don't say, ‘Hey, you're going to be a hygienist and you're going to scrape teeth all day.’ No. Say, ‘Hey, you have the opportunity to really influence someone’s oral and even their whole health by coming to work at our practice.’ And this is why we focus on those things. It’s more than just cleaning teeth, and shaping it to this bigger, larger-than-life, not unrealistic, but this big, long-term focus.” (20:49—21:17)

“When talking to a millennial, trying to interview them, give them a big picture, the value that they're adding beyond just a procedure or a task.” (22:26—22:32)

“A millennial is going to pull out their phone and go to social media and complain [when there's conflict]. That's not always the case, but it’s often the case. And it’s a challenge, and it’s something you can't necessarily stop. But millennials are open to dialogue. They're often going to come off — not always — as argumentative, mainly because they're passionate. And the reality is, they have a lot of knowledge. Unlike previous generations, they have more access to information to make their arguments, make their cases, and data sources, that when they come to argue with you, they're going to come ready to go. And that can be very off-putting, especially to a boomer who demands respect, and that type of abrasive conversation is not at all one that they think is all right in the workplace.” (22:46—23:31)

“How do you get your kids or family members to look up from phones? I don't have the answer. I can't crack that code. I think one of the things that you can do is help them realize that their value is beyond social media, is beyond what their friends say digitally. But the reality is, that is the world that they live in. So, there is some coming in between that. You have to figure out how can you still allow them to feel that they're being valued and respected by their peers, but also bridge that into the real world where people are interacting face-to-face and go have a BBQ out back on the grill, and things like that.” (26:37—27:11)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:55 Ryan’s background.

4:06 Top pieces of advice.

6:11 Why Ryan wrote Cracking the Millennial Code.

9:45 Why generational understanding is important.

14:06 What most people get wrong about millennials.

16:02 Differences with Gen Xers.

18:05 Where to start in cracking the code.

19:41 Millennials’ work ethic and loyalty.

22:34 How millennials manage conflict.

24:07 Bridging the real and digital world.

28:24 Ryan’s favorite businesses, and the future of business.

31:04 The future of remote work.

32:55 More about Speaking Consulting Network.

38:05 Last thoughts.

38:57 More about Ryan and how to get in touch.

Reach Out to Ryan:

Ryan’s website: https://ryanvet.com/

Ryan’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryan.vet

Ryan’s social media: @ryancvet

Resources:

Cracking the Millennial Code by Ryan Vet: https://bookshop.org/books/cracking-the-millennial-code-decoding-the-generations-to-effectively-motivate-and-manage-millennials/9781734161007

Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny: https://bookshop.org/books/crucial-conversations-tools-for-talking-when-stakes-are-high/9781260474183

Speaking Consulting Network: https://speakingconsultingnetwork.com/

Ryan Vet Bio:

Ryan Vet was raised in the suburbs of Chicago. As a young boy, he dabbled with various entrepreneurial ventures, ranging from the typical lemonade stand to a line of trading cards and a neighborhood newspaper. At age 14, he launched a multi-national marketing firm that specialized in working with non-profit organizations. He scaled the organization to work with over 200 clients in 25 different countries.

Since then, Ryan has risen to executive leadership roles at multiple companies, as well as hold advisory board roles in several companies and non-profits. At the core, he is a passionate entrepreneur. As such, his experiences have led him to launch several startups and act as angel investor in others.

Ryan shares his experiences with others as an international speaker and author. He has a range of speaking topics and would love to speak to your group. His writings can be seen in Forbes, Dental Economics, books, and in many other publications. He has also been featured in the media, including USA Today, Financial Times, ABC, CBS, NBC, and more. 

Why Last Week Was a Great Week

Episode #456 with Dr. Barrett Straub

Every week can be a great week. You just have to have good systems and be around the right people. And to help you make that process easier, Kirk Behrendt brings back ACT’s CEO, Dr. Barrett Straub, to share some tried-and-true tools that will help your practice. Being a business owner and running a team doesn't have to be difficult! Find out about ACT’s To The Top study club, what they can offer, and why you should join. For a path to a better practice and better life, listen to Episode 456 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

Surround yourself with the best people.

Find the best mentors to learn from.

Support your team members.

Accept your weaknesses.

Be a lifelong learner.

Quotes:

“We say it all the time, leadership is lonely. It’s lonely at the top. And not necessarily a bad thing, but our thinking can get a little skewed when we’re working in our practices all day.” (4:46—4:57)

“That's one of those stories that we can tell ourselves when we’re stuck in the insurance PPO game, that, ‘There's no way out. I have to do it this way. I couldn't possibly do it the way he or she does.’ And those are stories that are all false. And sometimes, when you get in the room and you learn from people that are just like you, all of a sudden, that story changes a little bit.” (7:11—7:30)

“If you're talking to yourself, that's dangerous. Because 80% of your self-talk is going to be negative.” (9:07—9:12)

“In dentistry, the better your business is, the less your worries are. Your life is best when your business worries are at their least.” (11:26—11:35)

“When things are predictable, life gets a lot better.” (11:36—11:39)

“Dr. Pete Dawson was an incredible mentor of mine . . . He said, ‘Making money in dentistry is actually pretty easy, Kirk. It’s the byproduct.’” (12:53—13:02)

“You're not really a great leader until you create other great leaders that create other great leaders.” (13:48—13:53)

“If you study the best leaders, they all never stop learning.” (16:50—16:53)

“I said, ‘Dr. Dawson, what piece of advice would you give me in this career of dentistry?’ And he said, ‘Great question. I would say this: don't ever tell yourself you have it all figured out.’ And I said, ‘Really?’ He said, ‘Yes. Kirk, I don't have it all figured out.’ I was 24, he was 64.’ And he said, ‘I'm learning from my students all the time. The other thing you'll understand is, the people that have it all figured out, they're not that much fun.’ So, become a lifelong learner.” (17:53—18:20)

“It’s better to get two things done really well than try to chase 92.” (20:47—20:51)

“We walk our talk in [ACT’s] Team Week. And so, our coaching philosophy, our coaching program, really came about from a few years of working through what does work and what doesn't work. And we tried it before we ever coached on it, and we found what works. And we’ve basically taken our operating system that we use every day — and we believe in it because we, firsthand, have seen it work — and now, we coach on it. And so, it’s our way to walk our own talk, and it definitely works.” (22:47—23:17)

“Our attention gets diluted after 13 weeks. We start to move off of our core focus. We start to look for bright, shiny objects. And every 13 weeks we need a chance, dentists and ACT Dental, to stop, time out, get out of the business, get out of the practice, and work on the practice because usually, we’re working in the practice or working in the business. So, that time is really, really important.” (23:18—23:44)

“A lot of us listening would go, ‘Yeah, I totally believe in my team!’ But it’s the Rachel Wall question. I'll give her full credit for this. You ask any dentist like, ‘What do you believe?’ ‘Yeah, my team comes first. My team comes first.’ And then, she asks the ultimate question, ‘What do you do that supports what you just said?’ When you stop and land the airplane and tell your team, ‘We’re going to work on this together,’ you're making a physical, emotional, time statement. You're saying, ‘You guys do come first.’” (24:28—24:55)

“Entrepreneurs think we have to be everything to all people. We have to be the greatest leader ever. We have to have all the answers. We have to be perfect in every category. And the older you get, the further on in years you get, you realize it’s impossible. And the more you try to be perfect in all areas, the more fake you come across, and the more weaknesses are exposed. So, the smarter thing to do is just accept your weaknesses, find people that can fill in those blind spots. And that's one of the main keys to a well-performing team.” (26:14—26:45)

“There are some key processes, some internal operational processes, that if every dentist did these, they'd be way better off. And we’re going to share those. So, we want to create a pathway that a dentist who is in private practice and wants to get better, or someone that's an associate and maybe wants to buy their own practice but is telling themselves that story that, ‘It’s too hard,’ or, ‘I can't afford it,’ or, ‘I can't do it because I don't know how,’ we are going to give the tools to be able to do it.” (32:03—32:34)

“I wrote the definition of entrepreneur on the back: to operate a business, taking on a greater than normal level of risk. So, an entrepreneur has a greater level of risk and also reaps a greater proportion of the benefits, by nature. However, when the risks are seen as too high, it’s hard for a dentist to take that jump. And so, what our training in this curriculum is going to do is lower that risk, because we’re going to help you develop your roadmap and see that there is a way to get there step by step.” (35:27—36:02)

“If more people in our country read [Think Again by Adam Grant], we’d have a better country. And it’s basically, don't believe what you think. So, what we think, and Adam Grant makes this case, comes from our upbringing, our environment, our parents, the city we are born in. Our environment helps form our thinking. And our thinking, once it’s in our brain, we think it’s fact. And I'm the same. And therefore, we live our life searching for confirmation bias. If we’re conservative, we watch Fox News. If we’re liberal, we watch CNN, because we want to surround ourselves with people that think the way we do and preach the way we like to think. And that's all fine and good — except that the best leaders, the best performers, we consciously try to make sure our thinking is correct.” (51:43—52:37)

“Adam Grant says if you define yourself based on what you think, it’s really hard to change your mind because now you're saying, ‘I was a fraud.’ But if you identify and define yourselves based on what you value, then changing your thoughts is easy because it doesn't change who you are. ‘This is who I am. These are my core values.’ My thinking can change as often as it needs to, but my values never change. I love the idea.” (54:36—55:06)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

3:00 Why you should join ACT’s To The Top study club.

13:31 Other tools and programs that will help your practice.

18:31 What the ACT Team Week looks like.

24:20 Putting your team first.

25:30 Accept your weaknesses and find people who can help.

26:50 Drinks of the day.

28:28 The Wisconsin Dental Entrepreneur Program.

37:43 ACT’s producer, Andy Konkle.

40:11 Kirk and Barrett’s favorite ice cream and childhood shows.  

45:59 Andy’s ice cream facts, favorite ice cream, and TV show.

50:44 Don't believe what you think.  

58:53 Last thoughts.

Reach Out to Dr. Straub:

Dr. Straub’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barrett.d.straub

Dr. Straub’s social media: @bstraub10

Resources:

ACT Dental’s To The Top study club: https://www.actdental.com/ttt

ACT Dental’s PPO Roadmap: https://form.jotform.com/221574987947173

ACT Dental’s Dental Entrepreneur Program: https://www.actdental.com/dental-entrepreneur-program?mc_cid=7862259343&mc_eid=UNIQID

Traction by Gino Wickman: https://benbellabooks.com/shop/traction/

Think Again by Adam Grant: https://adamgrant.net/book/think-again/

Brené Brown: https://brenebrown.com/

Dr. Barrett Straub Bio:

Dr. Straub practices general and sedation dentistry in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He has worked hard to develop his practice into a top-performing, fee-for-service practice that focuses on improving the lives of patients through dentistry.

A graduate of Marquette Dental School, Dr. Straub’s advanced training and CE includes work at the Spear Institute, LVI, DOCS, and as a member of the Milwaukee Study Club. He is a past member of the Wisconsin Dental Association Board of Trustees and was awarded the Marquette Dental School 2017 Young Alumnus of the Year. As a former ACT coaching client that experienced first-hand the transformation that coaching can provide, he is passionate about helping other dentists create the practice they’ve always wanted.

Dr. Straub loves to hunt, golf, and spend winter on the ice, curling. He is married to Katie, with two daughters, Abby and Elizabeth. 

What You Need to Know About Orofacial Pain as a Specialty

Episode #455 with Dr. Mary Charles Haigler

A toothache may be more than a toothache. It could be TMD, TMJ, or even symptoms of a heart attack! Learning about orofacial pain can change and save your patients’ lives, and Kirk Behrendt brings in Dr. Mary Charles Haigler to encourage you to find out more. Dentists are the best professionals who can make a difference for these patients. And to do that, education is the key. To learn how you can help your suffering patients, listen to Episode 455 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

Orofacial pain is broader than just TMD.

There are many risk factors for pain symptoms.

Listen to your patients and take good medical histories.

For orofacial pain patients, opioids can make things worse.

If you don't see anything wrong with the tooth, step back and reassess.

Keeping up with CE and different fields is very important for this specialty.

Quotes:

“Patients will come in and they’ll inform me that they’ve been diagnosed with TMJ. And so, I have to tell them, ‘Well, let's break it down a little bit more, because there can be a disorder that involves the articular disc being out of place. There can be arthritis, which can either be osteoarthritis or an autoimmune condition. There can be muscle pain or myalgia. There can be a combination of those, or they can be separate.’ So, it’s trying to figure out exactly what that patient has going on so that we can tailor the treatment or the management to whatever symptoms they're actually having.” (5:38—6:20)

“You can learn a lot just from hearing what the patient has to say. Even if they don't fully know what's going on, they could still tell you, ‘Well, when I open, I can only open this wide now. I used to click, and now I don't.’ All of those are little key words that tell you maybe it’s a disc disorder. Or some patients will tell you that they have other joints that are achy and painful, so then that clues you in. So, getting a good history helps to start the process.” (6:49—7:22)

“I look for comorbidities like mood disorders, anxiety, depression. I'll look for sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea because those things can be correlated to jaw pain as well. And so, we like to look at the whole picture, the whole patient, to try to figure out the best treatment for them.” (7:24—7:43)

“Looking at the whole patient helps you to be able to — I'm not going to necessarily treat every part of that if they have hypertension or they have a mood disorder. But I can help them to get that treatment, which then helps us to get them well.” (9:37—9:53)

“I've heard people say, ‘Well, I'm concerned about working with [TMD and TMJ] patients because some patients will come in and say that they have a tooth that hurts. And you look at the tooth, and there's nothing wrong with the tooth, but they're convinced that it is.’ Well, that could mistakenly lead to a practitioner thinking that the person’s either making it up, trying to get something done that's not needed, or get medicine that's not needed. But the reality is that in a lot of those cases, they do feel pain in a certain tooth — but the pain is not coming from that tooth. There's a discrepancy in the site versus the source of the pain.” (10:12—11:58)

“I'd like other dentists to be aware that if a patient has a toothache — and I know you're trying to help them — but you don't see anything wrong with the tooth, just step back and try to reassess.” (11:48—12:01)

“We can only do the best we can with what knowledge we have. And so, that's why I feel like it’s really important for the orofacial pain community to reach out to dentists, reach out to ENTs too, because a lot of patients will have earaches that are actually pain from the temporomandibular joint as well.” (12:24—12:47)

“With orofacial pain, I know I've mentioned TMD a lot because that seems to be the biggest overlap with general dentistry. But orofacial pain also, we manage pain that's related to the joint that also could be within the mouth. It could be headaches. It could be things in the region. So, there are also neuropathies, neuralgias that we help with, headache disorders. Also, because of the overlap with sleep apnea, especially the appliances if we’re able to use a mandibular advancement device in someone with TMD, we might need to manage it a little more carefully. And so, we do also help with obstructive sleep apnea management as well.” (14:35—15:31)

“Stress is another risk factor for different pain symptoms. And we do know that there is a relationship between anxiety and depression and pain modulation because they're both controlled with serotonin and norepinephrine. And so, if those are out of balance, then people can have more difficulty suppressing pain signals as well. So, people that experience anxiety at an elevated level may be experiencing more pain, even if it’s not just the muscle tension that is referring that pain.” (16:57—17:35)

“The best part is, you may have a patient that comes in, the first time you meet them — they’ve been to several places before — they're a little pessimistic or not feeling well because they're in pain, so they're a little irritable. And as long as you remember that you're here to help that person and you really listen and you really try to help them, when you see benefits that they're having, say at a post-op when they're feeling better, even if you don't get all the pain to diminish but it’s helping them, you can tell a change in a person’s whole outlook and their demeanor, that's probably the most rewarding thing, is to see that you're making a difference in someone’s life.” (18:46—19:32)

“One misconception is that opioids are the answer to pain. And for these patients, for chronic pain, it can make things worse, make the pain more intense.” (21:01—21:18)

“Sometimes posture, so if we’re working on a computer all day, your forward-head position, that puts a strain on your neck, changes your airway. So, that can also affect the positioning of the jaw. So, everything is related. It’s all one body, so that's why we try to look at the big picture of things.” (23:06—23:30)

“We’re learning about neuropathy, neuralgia in the mouth. So, different nerve conditions. We also are learning all the time about migraines. A lot of us are also members of the American Headache Society so that we can understand the migraine patterns, because migraines are also a condition of the trigeminal nervous system, which we know is also what gives us the pain signals from the face as well. So, a lot of times when patients are having even TMD type of pain, that pain could be a trigger for a person that gets migraines. So, just keeping up with what's going on in other fields is also very important.” (25:45—26:38)

“If you can't find something wrong with the tooth, step back and see what else could it be.” (28:43—28:49)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:54 Dr. Haigler’s background.

2:37 Why Dr. Haigler is passionate about this topic.

5:23 Orofacial pain goes beyond TMD.

6:21 Review your patients’ medical histories.

8:05 Dentists are best positioned to help people be healthy.

9:55 Find the source of your patients’ pain.

12:06 Know the questions to ask.

12:48 Challenges with being recognized as a specialty.

14:26 What people get wrong about orofacial pain.

15:39 Stress/anxiety/depression and pain modulation.

17:38 The future of the orofacial specialty.

19:34 The role of pharmacology.

21:30 Systemically understanding how the body works.

25:01 The moving target of CE.

26:41 Last thoughts on orofacial pain as a new specialty.

29:34 More about Dr. Haigler and how to get in touch.

Reach Out to Dr. Haigler:

Carolinas Center for Oral, Facial Surgery: https://mycenters.com/

Dr. Haigler’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryCharlesBrownHaigler

Dr. Haigler’s social media: @drmarycharleshaigler

Resources:

American Headache Society: https://americanheadachesociety.org/

American Academy of Orofacial Pain: https://aaop.org/

American Board of Orofacial Pain: https://www.abop.net/

Dr. Mary Charles Haigler Bio:

After her graduation from Laurens District 55 High School, Dr. Mary Charles Haigler, DMD, MS, attended Winthrop University, where she graduated with a BS in Biology. Dr. Haigler went on to the Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Dental Medicine, earning her Doctorate. While attending, she was an active member of the American Student Dental Association, Psi Omega Dental Fraternity, and the American Association of Women Dentists. She received honors, including the National Council Scholastic Achievement Award from Psi Omega, and membership in Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the national dental honor society.

Dr. Haigler completed the Essentials Courses at the Pankey Institute and embraces their dental philosophy that focuses on knowing each patient and providing the best care she can. This level of focus also helps to ensure that every patient is treated with individual care and attention.

Dr. Haigler has made learning about the many sources and types of orofacial (head and neck) pain a priority so that she can better serve patients with TMD (TMJ disorder), headache, sleep disordered breathing (obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea), bruxism (clenching/grinding), neuropathic pain, and other oral pathologies that are causing patients to suffer.

She completed a Continuum in Orofacial Pain at Louisiana State University’s Dental School, as well as a postdoctoral Master’s degree in Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine from the University of Southern California’s Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry. 

The Most Important 4 Minutes of Any Appointment

Episode #454 with Tom Viola, R.Ph., C.C.P.

A medical history can change lives, and four minutes is all you need! It’s the most important part of any dental appointment, and Kirk Behrendt brings back Tom Viola, “Mr. Pharmacology” and founder of Pharmacology Declassified, to help make the documenting process easier, more efficient, and as accurate as possible. You can't know everything, but you can ask the right questions and learn to read between the medical history lines. For everything you need to know about the four critical minutes, listen to Episode 454 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

Patients today are more medically complex than ever.

Always make time to review medical histories.

Learn the three questions to always ask.

Document everything you possibly can.

Listen to your patients.

Quotes:

“Your patients have never been more medically complex than they are today. People take more drugs today, more medications today, more substances today, so they're evermore complex. And that means you've got to be an expert in pharmacology. Even if it wasn't your favorite subject, or even if it’s not top priority on your list of everyday things, it has to be because you've got to maintain the patient’s oral health, but also their systemic health at the same time.” (5:46—6:12)

“The greatest blessing ever bestowed upon dentistry was that you could take the patient’s medical history directly from the patient. They're sitting right in your chair, they're right there in front of you. But the greatest curse ever inflicted upon dentistry was that you could take the patient’s medical history directly from the patient themselves, because they're not their own best reporter of their own medical history. And if they don't know, you won't know. If they don't want you to know, you're not going to know.” (7:03—7:26)

“It’s so important to be a sleuth, to be able to read a medical history and read between the lines and know what questions you need to ask the patient to get all of the information, not just necessarily the information they know or want you to know.” (7:34—7:48)

“The most important four minutes of any dental appointment are the four minutes you take to look at that medical history.” (9:02—9:09)

“Some things are important. Some things aren’t. This is important. This is going to make or break your day. It’s going to make or break your patients’ trust in you. It’s going to make or break your career, perhaps. You've got to be able to make the time to take a look at that medical history. Now, if you don't have the time and you can't make it yourself, then delegate. You've got a valuable resource in your hygienist.” (10:15—10:36)

“Especially for patients who take medications that can cause suicidal ideation, a lot of times, if they’ve gotten thoughts of suicide, they may not tell their clergyperson. They might not tell their medical doctor, their nurse practitioner. But they might tell somebody who’s easy to talk to, who listens to them, and who’s actually generally concerned about them. And that's usually their dental professional.” (11:54—12:16)

“I made my way through college being a bartender. And I could tell you, one thing you learn as a bartender is you learn how to listen, and you learn how to speak. That's what I offer up to you guys: listen. Listen to your patients. Listen to what they say.” (12:28—12:40)

“The first thing I'd like to recommend is that you have a medical history form the patient can fill out in advance. A lot of offices do. They have them online now. Get a lot of that done in advance and out of the way so that doesn't waste any of our four minutes.” (13:51—14:02)

“If you can't do [medical histories] online, then maybe work your workflow so that you can delegate that to someone who can visit with the patient before you. Typically, that's the assistant. Sometimes, it’s the hygienist. But get them to do that information intake for you so that when you walk in, if you're the dentist or the hygienist, you've got a lot of that information already down.” (14:12—14:33)

“The next thing you must do is look at their medications. And the reason for that is because, as I said, maybe people don't want to tell you everything that's wrong with them. Maybe they don't know. Maybe they're embarrassed — whatever the situation is. But I've often said if you have a good list of medications, an accurate list of their medications and a working knowledge of pharmacology, that's all you need. You put those two things together, and that equals the complete medical history. If you know what drugs people take and you know why people would take those drugs, what conditions they're treating, you know all the conditions. So, now, you can fill in the blanks.” (15:33—16:09)

“Medications can be used for a variety of different things. So, whenever I take a medical history and I'm trying to get the list of medications from the patient, I often ask the same three questions. And I ask them over and over again, ad nauseam, until they're ready to vomit. I ask them, ‘What do you take?’ I don't say the word, drug. I don't say the word, medication. I say, ‘What do you take?’ and let them tell me everything.” (20:02—20:23)

“Realizing that drugs will be used for different things, the next question I ask them is, ‘Why do you take them? Why do you take this medication?’ Now, my students say, ‘Why do I need to know that? They think I should know that. I'm the professional.’ But you don't know. A drug like amlodipine, which is a calcium channel blocker, could be used for everything from arrhythmia to angina to hypertension. I have no idea why you're taking it, so you have to tell me. But when I ask you, ‘Why do you take it?’ that helps reinforce the conditions you listed at the medical history level, like what did you say you have, what are your systemic conditions.” (20:24—20:57)

“The last question I ask them is the obvious one, but no one seems to ask it every time, which is, ‘Did you take it today? Did you take your medication today?’ Because I know a lot of people who take blood pressure medications that don't take blood pressure medications.” (20:58—21:11)

“I want to know why the patient takes the medications because I want to know if they know why they take it. Because otherwise, ‘Oh, yeah. Sometimes, I take that for my hypertension.’ ‘Sometimes? It’s not a thing you could take as-needed.’ And that helps me jog them into saying, ‘Really, you should be taking this every day,’ or, ‘Really, this medication should be taken this way.’ It’s little pearls like that that you give your patient that, believe me, add to the value of the dental experience, because they walk out like, ‘I didn't just learn about my teeth today. I learned about my medical conditions. I learned about my drugs. Wow, I learned a lot today.’ That's value that's going to keep that patient coming back to see you.” (22:31—23:07)

“We love them, but sometimes our patients make poor choices. And we’re there to save them from themselves because they're not medical experts. They're not dental experts. We are the medical and dental experts, so let's act like it.” (24:02—24:13)

“If you're not taking the patient’s blood pressure and pulse, you're missing a vital sign. That's why they call them vital signs. You're missing something vital that you need to be able to make good decisions, whether or not you're going to treat the patient, whether or not they're taking their medications the way they're supposed to. If you're not taking their blood pressure and pulse, then you're missing out on a lot. I know people who are listening say, ‘I don't have time for that.’ I know. I completely empathize with you. But make the time. Delegate it. Train someone to do it or get a cuff. Wrist cuff, arm cuff — automate it. I'd rather have a wrist cuff that may not be 100% accurate versus nothing in the chart every day of the week.” (24:18—24:56)

“When it comes to cannabis, a lot of our patients use cannabis to take the edge off. As I said, fear is the greatest enemy we have in dentistry. People fear us because, why? Everyone in their life has told them, ‘You're going to the dentist? You're going to be in pain!’ And then, they get there, you cause them pain, and you fulfill the prophecy. So, they know dentistry equals pain. So, if they take a dose of cannabis, they're taking the edge off. But it leads to medical, ethical, and legal considerations.” (25:38—26:05)

“After you've got the medical history down halfway, the next thing is to ask about what kind of substances do they use. And just blurt it out. You're not the police. You've got to encourage them to say it. ‘I'm not the police. I'm not here to report you in any way. I just want to know. I need to know this to make sure that there aren't any complications with what I might use during our appointment today.’ So, you just lay it out there like that. Ask them about alcohol, cannabis, other substances, street drugs, whatever they use. Ask them about that.” (27:52—28:23)

“Circle back to the medications real quick and say, ‘Do you use anything over the counter? Do you use any supplements?’ The reason I do that is because when I'm asking patients, ‘What do you take, and why do you take it?’ they still think I'm talking about medications. And they don't consider over-the-counter drugs like Nexium and Prilosec or substances like cannabis as a thing to talk about, or they don't think of a supplement like St. John’s wort or something to talk about because they don't need a prescription for that. They don't even get it at a pharmacy. They go to buy it at a supermarket. So, I tie that back in to make sure that I get every possible medication and other substance and supplement they're taking.” (28:28—29:09)

“The last thing I ask them is, ‘Why are you here today?’ I want to get it from them. ‘What's going on? I know that when you booked your appointment you told us what was happening. But really, today, what's going on?’ And that gives me a bird’s eye view back now as to, okay, they said they have dry mouth. Well, what medications do they take that cause dry mouth? They said they have jaw pain. Okay. Jaw pain could be, what? It could be odontogenic pain. It could be a side effect of their statin medication because statins cause muscle pain. Heck, it could be angina.” (29:13—29:46)

“We’re very nice to our patients. We try to be. And sometimes, we let them lead the conversation. We can't let that happen. We have to lead the conversation because it’s our four minutes.” (30:35—30:45)

“You've got to document everything — even the things you don't think are important. You've got to document everything that went on in that conversation to the best of your ability. And I'm going to go one step further. And I know a lot of people are going to probably chuckle about this, and it’s okay. I still insist on an ASA for every patient.” (32:29—32:48)

“If you don't document the ASA, then you really can't say later on, whether it’s a week, a month, or three years later, under cross-examination from some plaintiff’s attorney, ‘What was the patient’s suitability for treatment on that day?’ You have to try — and I know this because I serve as an expert witness quite often — to convince anyone in that courtroom that you can remember that patient, on that day, three years ago, when you've seen a thousand patients since. It’s not going to happen. So, documentation is critical.” (33:08—33:37)

“Everyone listening right now is saying, ‘Man, I wish I had the time. I wish I had the time. I wish I had the time.’ Make the time. It’s not all pie in the sky. You can do this. Maybe you can't record every minute of everything that's been said. But do the best you can, because those four minutes really count.” (34:53—35:08)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

2:54 Tom’s background.

4:45 Today’s patients are more medically complex.

7:48 The most important four minutes of any appointment.

9:30 Make time for reviewing the medical history.

11:38 Learn to listen to your patients.

13:37 Where to start.

16:17 One shortcut for learning what some drugs do.

19:43 Three questions to always ask your patients.

23:07 Always take patients’ vital signs.

25:05 Ask patients about cannabis use.

27:14 Ask patients about substance use.

30:18 What most people get wrong about the four minutes.

31:41 Document everything you possibly can.

34:45 Last thoughts on the most important four minutes.

35:49 More about Tom and how to get in touch.

Reach Out to Tom:

Tom’s website: https://www.tomviola.com/

Tom’s podcasts: https://www.tomviola.com/category/podcasts/

Tom’s email: [email protected] 

Tom’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomviolarph

Tom’s social media: @pharmacologydeclassified

Tom A. Viola, R.Ph., C.C.P. Bio:

With over 30 years of experience as a pharmacist, educator, speaker, and author, Tom Viola, R.Ph., C.C.P., has earned his reputation as the go-to specialist for delivering quality continuing education content through his informative, engaging presentations. Tom’s sellout programs provide an overview of the most prevalent oral and systemic diseases and the most frequently prescribed drugs used in their treatment. Special emphasis is given to dental considerations and strategies for effective patient care planning.

As a clinical educator, Tom is a member of the faculty of 12 dental professional degree programs and has received several awards for Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Tom instructs dental hygiene students and practice dental hygienists in pharmacology and local anesthesia in preparation for national board exams. As a published writer, Tom is well-known internationally for his contributions to several professional journals in the areas of pharmacology, pain management, and local anesthesia. In addition, Tom has served as a contributor, chapter author, and peer reviewer for several pharmacology textbooks. As a professional speaker, Tom has presented continuing education courses to dental professionals internationally since 2001. Meeting planners agree that Tom is their choice to educate audiences within this specialty. 

Why the Best Dentists Never Stop Learning

Episode #453 with Dr. Daren Becker

Masters never call themselves masters, and they are lifelong learners. To be the best, you need to keep learning. And to help you become a better learner, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Daren Becker, one of the best practicing dentists, to share his approach to learning and ways to further your education. If you think you know everything, you can't learn anything! To keep an open mind, listen to Episode 453 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

You can never know everything.

Take courses at multiple institutions.  

Remember to keep “sharpening the saw”.

Seek out different mentors and places to learn.

The best dentists know they don't have it all figured out.

Quotes:

“The day I say, ‘I made it,’ is the day that I hang it up.” (27:08—27:11)

“When I was practicing with Dr. Jim, maybe after three months I'm there, I'm right out of dental school. Sure, I'd heard all this stuff. But when I heard it originally, I hadn't gone to dental school yet, so I didn't know anything. And I realized very quickly, because Jim had me for that whole first year — I sat in on every single new-patient exam that he did. Not just sat in, I was the assistant while he was doing his comprehensive evaluation on every new patient that he saw. I sat in on that. Wow, what an experience. Wow, what a way to realize what you don't know. And just to be able to hang, to speak the language, I had to go further my education.” (27:24—28:13)

“Before he passed away, I loved sitting in any course where Dr. Dawson was in the audience. He would take more notes than anyone there. Dr. Parker Mahan, same thing. And it was a great role model to being a lifelong learner.” (46:07—46:26)

“The best dentists I know are continually trying to learn more and better, both technical and behavioral and philosophical and all of that. And the best dentists I know have sought out many different mentors and teachers and places to learn. So, when people ask me, ‘Should I take Pankey or a Dawson course?’ the answer is yes. The best dentists I know have studied at at least two, and usually three of the bigger centers: Pankey, Kois, Dawson, Spear.” (46:42—47:26)

“I was down at Pankey taking — I don't remember which course. Continuum 5 or 6, something down the road. Not my first time. I was in a lecture, and I want to say Dr. Rich Green was in the room, and he was helping us get through this concept of incisal edge shape and the pitch and the bevel. Anyway, it clicked for me, and I finally got it and understood it in a way that I could feel like I could apply it. And I was a little bit perturbed that no one had ever told me this before. And my dad said, ‘Go pull out your Continuum 1 manual.’ And back then, we got these big, thick manuals. ‘Pull out your level one manual and look at it.’ And sure enough, not only was there a section on this, in my own handwriting were notes about the same topic. So, I just wasn't in a place where I was ready to learn it.” (47:37—48:44)

“Why do I keep going and taking courses even though I'm on faculty and I'm teaching Essentials 4 now? Well, very simply, I might have missed something. There might be something new. I might hear it differently because of where I am now. I might hear it differently just because it’s somebody different telling it to me.” (48:56—49:14)

“I think if we are myopic in our learning, in our continued learning, and, ‘I am only going to take courses here. Pete Dawson is my guru, and I'm only going to take courses at the Dawson center,’ okay, great learning. But at some point, you're going to be missing out on something else.” (49:19—49:41)

“The Cornell Effect by Dr. John Cranham and A Better Way by Dr. Pete Dawson, these are books that I love to reread. And I might find inspiration when I need it. I might find a pearl that I missed the first or second or third time I read it. But I think dental continuing education is the same thing. As soon as you think you know everything, somebody just passed you.” (53:00—53:30)

“Dr. Kincaid used to talk about sharpening the saw. You might have the sharpest saw of anyone. But if you don't keep sharpening it, it’s going to dull.” (53:31—53:39)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

4:20 Dr. Becker’s background and his experience at Pankey.

9:26 What prompted Dr. Becker to become a dentist.

13:49 The appeal of fly-fishing.

16:03 Pros and cons of being Dr. Erwin Becker’s son.

17:04 Dr. Becker after dental school.

22:12 Advice for bringing in associates.

24:15 How ACT helped Dr. Becker’s practice.

27:01 Why Dr. Becker went to The Pankey Institute.

29:02 Dr. Becker’s breakthrough moment.

31:00 Referrals from specialists are the best patients.

38:41 Pankey’s Masters’ Week.

41:12 Masters’ Week at other institutions.

45:14 Masters continue to learn.

50:14 Dr. Becker’s favorite book.

55:52 Last thoughts and how to get involved with Pankey.

Reach Out to Dr. Becker:

Dr. Becker’s website: www.atlantadentalsolutions.com

Dr. Becker’s Instagram: @doc_becks

Resources:

A Philosophy of the Practice of Dentistry by Dr. L.D. Pankey and Dr. William J. Davis: https://pankey.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/pankey/product.jsp?product=86&catalogId=10&

The Cornell Effect by Dr. John C. Cranham: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781647042646

A Better Way by Dr. Peter E. Dawson: https://www.abebooks.com/Better-Way-Surprising-Path-Complete-Life/30323863698/bd

The Pankey Institute: https://www.pankey.org/

Pankey Masters’ Week: https://www.pankey.org/event/masters-week2022/

Essentials courses at Pankey: https://www.pankey.org/curriculum/essentials-courses/

Essentials courses at Florida Dental Association: https://www.floridadental.org/convention-ce/convention/attend/education

Essentials courses at Hinman: https://www.hinman.org/Education-Events/Courses

Dr. Daren Becker Bio:

Dr. Daren Becker earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from American International College, and Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Florida College of Dentistry.

Dr. Becker began private practice in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1998 with an emphasis on comprehensive, restorative, implant, and aesthetic dentistry. He is the owner and full-time dentist at Atlanta Dental Solutions, and is in full-time, fee-for-service private practice.

Dr. Becker began his advanced studies at The Pankey Institute in 1998. He was invited to be a guest facilitator in 2006 and has been on the visiting faculty since 2009. In addition, in 2006, he began spending time facilitating dental students from Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry at the Ben Massell Clinic (treating indigent patients) as an adjunct clinical faculty member. In 2011, he was invited to be a part-time faculty member in the Graduate Prosthodontics Residency at the Center for Aesthetic and Implant Dentistry at Georgia Health Sciences University, now Georgia Regents University College of Dental Medicine (formerly Medical College of Georgia).

Dr. Becker has been involved in organized dentistry and has chaired and/or served on numerous state and local committees. Currently, he is a delegate to the Georgia Dental Association. He has lectured at the Academy of General Dentistry annual meeting, is a regular presenter at ITI Study Club, as well as numerous other study clubs. He is a regular contributor at Red Sky Dental Seminars.

In addition to his enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge, Dr. Becker’s strengths are in meeting and special event planning, and CE program development. Dr. Becker lives in the Dunwoody area of Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Amanda, and their daughters Alicia and Addison. He is passionate about fly-fishing and enjoys traveling, golf, and outdoor photography. 

The Power in Learning About Gingival Architecture

Episode #452 with Dr. Betsy Bakeman

Do your patients care about gingival architecture? Chances are, yes! They just don't know what it is, or that it can be corrected. And sometimes, neither do dentists. So, to help you optimize the results of your dentistry, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Betsy Bakeman, adjunct faculty member at the Kois Center, to share what she’s learned about gingival architecture, why you should learn more, and how to get started. To help patients achieve their ideal smiles, listen to Episode 452 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

You can alter gingival architecture for esthetic reasons.

Learn gingival architecture to optimize outcomes.

This knowledge will give you added expertise.

Learning this will improve communication.

Gingival architecture is simple to learn.

Quotes:

“You hear about the gingival architecture being the framework for the teeth, and it’s something that I never used to consider at all, until I started going through the accreditation process in the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. And they started talking about how this was really important for esthetics, and I knew what I wanted to do. I learned where the architecture should be, the symmetry, the harmony. But I didn't know how to manage it, and I struggled getting my patients to go to the periodontist, to go to a specialist. I struggled with communication with my patients, with the specialist, and I didn't know how to achieve optimal results.” (3:02—3:51)

“[Gingival architecture is] really simple. It’s very manageable. Any general dentist can learn these techniques, and it helps you in so many ways.” (4:14—4:24)

“[What most dentists get wrong is] how simple and predictable [gingival architecture] is. It’s just so simple and predictable. Once you know what to do, it’s amazing how simple and predictable it is.” (5:24—5:40)

“Even if you decide, ‘I don't like blood. I don't like working with a scalpel. I don't want to do that,’ you become better at communicating what you want with your periodontist. So, it’s helpful to know what the ceramicist is doing, to know what the specialist is doing. We become better communicators and we’re more likely to get what we need when we work with our specialists.” (6:17—6:42)

“You can't unsee it. Once you see asymmetry in the gingival architecture and the patient is asking you about this chipped tooth, this dark tooth, whatever it is that they're focused on, and then you say, ‘Can I point out some other things that I see that may or may not be important to you? If you're going to restore these teeth, you may notice afterwards that these gum heights aren't even on these two middle teeth. And there are opportunities to correct that before we do your two restorations so that it looks perfectly symmetrical.’ And patients often say, ‘Oh, I didn't notice that.’ Or they might say, ‘I didn't know you could correct that.’” (7:15—8:03)

“Especially in people that have short teeth and gummy smiles where there's actually more tooth structure under the gum tissue, people are amazed. I mean, they didn't even know that that could be corrected. And so, they're so excited. It’s added expertise in the eyes of the patient that you're the first person that mentioned that this could actually be corrected for them. They didn't even know it. And honestly, a lot of dentists don't know it either.” (8:04—8:34)

“In dental school, we’re taught a lot about single-tooth dentistry, and we really focus on teeth. I mean, dental school — dental anatomy, teeth, teeth, teeth, teeth, teeth. And I didn't know that you could alter gingival architecture for esthetic reasons until I was like 15 years out of dental school.” (8:43—9:06)

“The AACD says if you're going to say you're a cosmetic dentist, you need to manage gingival architecture. Whether you do it yourself or you refer to the periodontist to have them do it, you're ultimately driving the bus and you ultimately have to make the decisions. So, you need to be able to have those skills or communicate what you need to create an optimal result.” (12:44—13:12)

“It’s really funny. Patients, when I'm pointing out, ‘We have this asymmetry,’ and I just fold it into the treatment plan — and they can always tell me they don't want it. But it’s interesting because patients will say, ‘You know, if I'm going to do these restorations, if I'm going to invest this money, I'm going to do it right.’ And it’s not necessarily right or wrong, it’s esthetic. And I will even say that to the patient. I'll say, ‘It’s not necessarily right or wrong. It’s just more optimal to correct this and make it more ideal.’ But in the patient’s mind, they're thinking, ‘That's the right way to do it.’ And people really appreciate that you've pointed that out.” (19:49—20:39)

“If you have an asymmetry in gingival architecture, say you have the right central with the tissue here, and the left central here, and the patient is noticing the chipping and the wear on the biting edge, or the discoloration. And now, you make everything about those teeth beautiful. But now, they're going to be different sizes when you're finished. Now, what's the patient going to notice? They're going to say, ‘Why is this one tooth shorter than the other?’ And when you finish the treatment is not the time you want the patient to be asking those kinds of questions.” (20:41—21:13)

“Dr. John Kois has been teaching this subject matter for more than 25 years. And out of all the courses he teaches, this one has been about the same content. Most of the literature that comes out just reinforces what we already know and teach, so there have not been a lot of changes. So, once you master the knowledge, you'll have it, which is a really beautiful thing.” (28:17—28:45)

“We’re dentists. We like control. And to be able to have that control and place the tissue where you want it, bone where you want it, to know where it is when you go to prep the teeth, it helps people so much. And it’s so simple to learn. So, I encourage everyone to learn how to do that. You'll use it every day in your practice.” (29:57—30:24)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

2:11 Dr. Bakeman’s background.

2:48 Why this is an important topic.

5:03 What most dentists get wrong about gingival architecture.

6:43 Gingival architecture is added expertise.

8:34 You can alter gingival anatomy.

11:01 The challenging AACD accreditation process.  

13:22 The importance of still photography.

16:35 Dr. Bakeman’s philosophy for working with specialists.

19:33 Talking to patients about gingival architecture.

22:38 Changes in overall patient health.

25:02 The team’s role in the gingival architecture process.

27:53 The future of gingival architecture.

29:38 Last thoughts about gingival architecture.

30:25 More about the Kois Center and how to get started.

36:35 Advice for dentists.

Reach Out to Dr. Bakeman:

Dr. Bakeman’s email: [email protected] 

Dr. Bakeman’s website: http://www.micosmeticdentist.com/

Dr. Bakeman’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cosmeticdentistry.MI

Dr. Bakeman’s social media: @betsybakemandds

Resources:

Kois Center: https://www.koiscenter.com/

Kois Center course list: https://www.koiscenter.com/courses/  

Dr. Betsy Bakeman Bio:

Dr. Betsy Bakeman teaches as an adjunct faculty member at the Kois Center in Seattle, Washington. She is a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, and an Accredited Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Dr. Bakeman is immediate past-president for the AACD. She also serves as both accreditation and fellowship examiner for the AACD. She was the recipient of the AACD’s 2013 Award for Excellence in Cosmetic Dentistry Education. She maintains a full-time private practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan⁠⁠. 

How Digital Workflows Are Changing the Landscape of Dentistry

Episode #451 with Dr. John Cranham & Lee Culp, CDT

Digital is one of the greatest things that’s happened in dentistry. You can get more done in less time with higher predictability. So, why aren't more dentists transitioning to a digital workflow? Today, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. John Cranham and Lee Culp, founders of Cranham Culp Digital Dental, to explore the resistance to digital, how that prevents high-level dentistry, and steps to transition to a digital workflow. Digital is the future! To start your transition journey today, listen to Episode 451 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

Efficiency, predictability, and communication improves with digital.

Using digital will help you educate patients on the spot.

Avoid going back and forth from analog to digital.

Digital is as good — if not better — than analog.

High-level dentistry requires technology.

You can't learn this in a weekend.

Quotes:

“[Digital is] an incredible time-savings. And then, the outputs are so much better, it leads to higher degrees of predictability in what we’re doing.” (7:56—8:05)

“I had a conversation with some of the people we’re coaching — it was kind of a game — ‘How much money would somebody have to give you to take your 3Shape away? To go back to stone and do it the way you used to, how much would they have to give you?’ It’s a big number for me because of how much better it is and how much more efficient it is.” (8:07—8:30)

“I used to really think you couldn't do veneers with scanning. I do veneers with scanning all the time now.” (9:25—9:31)

“The tip that I would tell, and this is where I think people get into trouble, is they don't trust the digital. So, what they will do is they’ll start to do something digital, and then they go back to analog to check it. And when you start going back and forth between analog and digital, I think you can really screw things up. It’s better to be all digital or all analog.” (10:01—10:24)

“I don't know that we’re doing any better with impressions than we are with digital scans. And we can still do corrective casts if things aren't working. But [with digital,] Dr. Cranham is able to do things so much faster, and efficient, and be able to educate his patients right then, not two weeks later after we pour all the models and do all this.” (11:50—12:11)

“I can simulate anything you can possibly think of on my computer screen.” (12:46—12:51)

“When we look at what's going on in the research community and the prosthodontic community and all the journals, everything is digital. All the research is digital now. Obviously, there is biological research going on. But if it’s anything in prosthodontics where we’re making things, all the journals are digital now. And I think that qualification from the universities is something we needed to have because we’re showing cool things that could be done very predictably every day.” (14:51—15:21)

“Dr. Dawson used to say that it was good for the patient to come back because at the first visit, you just showed them the problems. They needed a week or so to think about the problems in order to accept the case. Well, I don't know if that's true or not. I think we maybe said that because it made us feel better about the fact that it took us a week to mount the models.”  (20:03—20:24)

“Patients come in, and the more we can get done that day is a good thing — if we’re not compromising.” (21:07—21:15)

“My real passion is, if I can get more dentists to not freaking wing it and to really plan where they're going, dentistry is going to be better. And that's what I feel like, is that the old way, dentists found out that they could do a pretty good job not really having a clear picture and visualizing but prepping the teeth and letting the lab sort it all out. Sometimes, that works out. Sometimes, it doesn't.” (21:40—22:09)

“[Digital] eliminates a lot of “winging it” because we’re so much more efficient now.” (23:01—23:07)

“To me, one of the most amazing things about this is, whether I'm communicating with Lee, an orthodontist, a surgeon, the patient, whoever, the level of communication is — it’s not even close to what we were doing before. It’s so much better. And again, if you're communicating at a high level, you're going to get better outputs that are closer to what you want.” (24:27—24:52)

“I think it’s important for people to understand that it’s not that analog doesn't work. It, of course, works. It’s the way we’ve done it for a really long time. But I do think that the trends in dentistry, like if you look at the companies that are making investments in stones and things like that, there's going to be a time that they’ll stop making some of those products. I mean, it’s starting to slowly shift in that direction.” (29:20—29:47)

“It won't be 100% digital when I retire. That's for sure. But I certainly think in my daughter’s lifetime as a dentist, I think the ability to do traditional impressions is going to be very, very limited.” (29:52—30:05)

“What I would say to dentists thinking about it, there are so many good studies now about the accuracy of scanning to being at least as good as analog. So, if we just talk about the fit, there are tons of studies that say it’s at least as good — many saying it’s better. But when you add into that the ability to scan a bite as opposed to squirting something between the teeth to capture this dynamic impression, the speed and the patient’s acceptance, the liking of the process, is off the charts.” (30:08—30:54)

“When you go to your physician, if they're showing you something, they're not holding up X-rays anymore. You're looking at things on screens and pointing things out. It’s just where we are.” (35:18—35:29)

“If you want to be known as doing this at the highest level, I think there's an expectation that you're doing it at the highest level with technology.” (35:52—36:01)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

1:56 Dr. Cranham and Lee’s backgrounds.

3:46 Transitioning to digital workflows.

8:30 Should you go 100% digital?

10:29 You can do anything in digital.

13:04 How accurate is digital?

15:22 Digital streamlines your planning.

18:20 Other ways patients benefit from digital.

23:16 Using digital improves communication.

25:05 Remakes will decrease by using digital.

28:08 Fear and resistance toward digital.

32:22 Be a patient to gain patient perspective.

36:02 Having a coach at the lab.

37:32 Last thoughts on the digital workflow.

42:16 How Dr. Cranham and Lee can help your practice.

46:14 More about Cranham Culp Digital Dental and how to get in touch.

Reach Out to Dr. Cranham:

Dr. Cranham’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.c.cranham

Dr. Cranham’s social media: @johnccranhamdds

Reach Out to Lee:

Lee’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lee.culp.cdt

Lee’s social media: @leeculpcdt

Resources:

Cranham Culp Digital Dental: www.ccdigitaldental.com

Dr. John Cranham Bio:

Dr. John C. Cranham is a highly respected and renowned dentist in Chesapeake, Virginia. At his state-of-the-art office, he delivers unsurpassed general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and restorative dentistry, including TMJ THERAPY and DENTAL IMPLANT SERVICES. Dr. Cranham uses his vast experience and expansive knowledge to create healthy, natural-looking smiles. 

Dr. Cranham was an honors graduate of the Medical College of Virginia in 1988. He’s an internationally recognized speaker on the esthetic principles of smile design, contemporary occlusal concepts, treatment planning, restoration selection, digital photography, laboratory communication, and happiness and fulfillment in dentistry. 

Dr. Cranham founded Cranham Dental Seminars, which provides lectures, mobile programs, and intensive hands-on experiences to dentists around the world. In 2008, Cranham Dental Seminars merged with THE DAWSON ACADEMY, a world-famous continuing education facility based in St. Petersburg, Florida. 

As The Dawson Academy’s acting Clinical Director, Dr. Cranham is involved with many of the courses and provides continuing education to dental professionals across the globe. He spends approximately two-thirds of his time in private practice and the other third as an educator. He believes this balance keeps him on the leading edge of both disciplines. 

A published author, Dr. Cranham is committed to providing the highest quality patient care, as well as developing sound educational programs that exceed the needs of today’s dental professional. 

Dr. Cranham is an active member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Dental Association, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics, and American Equilibration Society. 

Lee Culp, CDT Bio:

Lee Culp, CDT, is the CEO of Sculpture Studios, a dental laboratory, education, and research and product development center for new and innovative digital dental technologies and their applied applications to diagnostic, restorative, and surgical dentistry. He is a pioneer in digital dentistry and a leading resource/inventor for many of the materials, products, and techniques used in dentistry today, and holds numerous patents for his ideas and products. Lee writes many articles per year, and his writing, photography, and teaching style have brought him international recognition as one of today’s most exciting lecturers and innovative artisans in the specialty of digital dentistry, dental ceramics, and functional esthetics.

Lee is the 2007 recipient of the Kenneth Rudd Award from the American Society of Prosthodontics, the 2007 recipient of the AACD Presidents Award for Excellence in Dental Education, the 2003 recipient of the National Association of Dental Laboratories, Excellence in Education Award, the 2013 American College of Prosthodontics-Dental Technician Leadership Award, the 2014 Spectrum Publishing-Lifetime Achievement award, and the Dr. Peter Dawson-Dawson Academy 2016 – Dentistry Distinguished Service Award.